Mother of Halla
by russianbear27
Summary: After the defeat of Corypheus Cullen joins Ellana for the Arthalvhen and Halla Festival. Will her family and clan learn to accept her relationship with the commander? The Inquisitor finds there is more to deal with after the sudden appearance of Morrigan, and the recovery of lost elven knowledge. Rated T for now.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! This is my first dragon age fic! I feel like I have some pretty good ideas for this one, too. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter One

Corypheus was defeated, the breach was closed, and all of Thedas was breathing a collective sigh of relief. Though no one was more relieved than the Inquisitor herself. Well, at first at she. When Josephine said that every noble was clamoring to me the Elven Herald of Andraste, she meant _every_ noble. The last six months was nothing but parties, politics, and shallow nobles.

Many of the Inquisitors companions came and went from Skyhold, attending to both personal and official business. Cassandra had been elected the new Divine, and many at Skyhold sorely missed her presence. Even Varric had admitted he missed her lurking over him. In truth, the Inquisitor suspected the two had become unlikely friends, even if neither would admit to it.

Blackwall had stayed for some time before the arrival of Grey Warden called him away. The Wardens had extended an invitation to truly join their ranks. An offer Blackwall could not refuse. Dorian had eventually returned to Tevinter dead set on making a difference in his homeland. Though he still maintained close ties with the Inquisition. Cole was still a common sight throughout the hold and Iron Bull had taken to drinking in the tavern more than usual. Sara was frequently gone visiting her _friends_, but would always return. Vivienne returned to Orlais to help the reconstruction of the circle, and Solas had mysteriously disappeared after the battle with Corypheus.

As for the Inquisitor, she was beginning to miss her clan more every day. She missed running barefoot in the forest with her friends. She missed the stories of the ancients by the fire at night. Most of all, she missed her family.

The Inquisition was at a strange place. Corypheus was defeated, and their goal was complete. Yet, the Inquisition remained. Ellana felt more and more like a puppet putting on a show as time when on. There was very little for her to do beyond some administrative decisions and a few scattered mundane missions.

There was, however, one thing at Skyhold that made everything worthwhile for Ellana, and that was Cullen. The world around them was rearranging, but Cullen was a constant comfort in all the chaos. As the months wore on, Cullen began to see the changes in Ellana. She was hardly eating, and she just didn't seem present. Like her mind was somewhere else.

Cullen found her one evening on her balcony, staring out over the landscape, lost in thought. The sun was setting, the far off peaks set aflame with bright shades of red and orange. In her hand, Cullen noticed a piece of parchment with a broken seal.

He approached her silently, resting a gloved hand on her shoulder to signal he was there. The touch startled her, she had been so lost in thought she had not noticed him.

"Cullen," she sighed, "you mustn't sneak up on me like that."

He smiled, "I'd hardly call that sneaking, my love. Merely approaching."

"Whatever you call it, just don't do it," his good humor was lost on her, and his smile faded.

"Ellana, what is wrong? You've been acting strangely."

Ellana sighed again and leaned into Cullen's shoulder. "It's nothing."

"Well it's obviously something. What's that you have there?" He pointed to the parchment in her hand.

"It's a letter," she said simply, not really wanting to explain.

"Well, I can see that. Who is it from?"

She was quiet, but Cullen gave her a look that said he wasn't going anywhere until she explained herself.

"Keeper Dashana," Ellana relented, "the clan is attending the Arlathvhen in the Dales. The Halla Festival will begin in a week. She also says Shiala, my little sister, has began her training to become her first. And my father and brother are well…" Ellana trailed off.

Cullen could she her holding back tears, "You miss them, don't you?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"More than anything," Ellana collected herself.

"Then you should go to the festival. Go see them."

"I can't… the Inquisition needs me. The mages are still trying to reorganize the circle and…"

Cullen interrupted her and looked her straight in the eyes. "We can handle it. You should go."

"I can't just up and leave, Cullen."

"You're the Herald of Andraste, the leader of the Inquisition, the savior of Thedas. I'm sure you can do as you very well please."

"I don't know…" Ellana said disheartened

"Ellana," he pulled her into a close embrace. "You deserve to be happy, and if this is what you want, then we will make it happen.

Ellana wrapped her arms around Cullen's neck, tightening the embrace and smiling for the first time in weeks. She pulled away and looked up at him, "You'll come with me, right?"

Cullen was caught off guard by the question, "Of course, if you believe it's for the best."

To be quite honest, Cullen knew little about the social niceties of Thedas, but could usually clumsily charm his way through most social interactions with nobles and the like. He knew even less about elven culture. All he knew he had learned from books in the circle library, and what Ellana had explained to him. It would be a miracle if he didn't make a complete and utter fool of himself.

Yet, Cullen could deny Ellana nothing. Her clan was her world before the Inquisition and he knew how much it pained her to be away from them, especially after Corypheus' defeat. Besides, no one in the Inquisition deserved a vacation more.

Ellana kissed the Commander happily. "I need to go talk to Leliana and Josephine. I should probably make sure the Inquisition carries on while I'm gone." Before Cullen could open his mouth to say another word, she was out the door and down the hall. Maker, what had he gotten himself into?

* * *

Ellana awoke with the rising of the sun two days later. Rolling over, she faced her sleeping companion. His sleep was peaceful, which had not been the case during the early hours of morning. Cullen's nightmares had decreased in severity and occurred less often, but he still had the occasional terror and would thrash and mutter in his sleep. He would always have some demons he could never fully escape.

Regardless, Ellana was happy he had finally done away with pretense and started staying with her in her quarters. It wasn't a surprise to anyone when it happened, much to Cullen's dismay. The entire hold knew about it, it seemed the leaders of the Inquisition had few secrets. Except for Leliana.

Dressing in silence, Ellana reflected on the journey ahead and the hell she would raise with her father when they arrived. She was after all, bringing a _man_ home with her, a shemlen. Dalish relations with men were shaky on good days, and bonding with shemlens was at best… frowned upon. She needed to prepare him for what was in store, but that would wait until they were underway in a few hours. Right now she would let him sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello dear readers! Unfortunately with my busy college kid schedule I may not be able to update as often as I'd like. I get to work on this between writing assignments for class. That being said, I haven't done a lot of writing for my own sake for a long time, so this is a nice break for me. Please be kind towards any mistakes there may, and probably will, be.

As for lore, I'm going off of what I know from the games and just kinda filling in holes with my own imagination. Which can be fun and difficult at the same time.

Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying the story and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

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Chapter 2

It was a three-day ride to gathering of clans in the Southern end of the Dales. During their journey Ellana did her best to prepare Cullen for the festival and for the tension that they would surely be greeted with. The commander was doing his best, but Ellana was getting more and more nervous as they crossed the Exalted Plains.

They stopped for lunch by little stream, on the second day of their travels. Ellana's Pride of Arlathan Hart grazed along side Cullen's Amaranthine Charger. As they sat eating a simple lunch of bread, cheese, and dried meat, Ellana realized this was the first time in nearly a year she and Cullen had spent time truly alone. The last time had been the time they had visited Lake Callenhad together. She remembered that trip fondly. Ellana had, after all, fallen in love with the commander on that trip, even if she wasn't able to voice her feelings until after the battle of Adamant.

Cullen watched Ellana as she relax in the grass, her white blonde hair shining in the sunlight. He found himself studying the now familiar lines that swirled on her brow and chin.

"I've just noticed, I have never asked about your tattoos." Cullen wondered between bites of food. "I understand that all Dalish have them, but what are they for?"

"They are vallaslin, blood writing," Ellana explained patiently. "When a Dalish elf comes of age they meditate in the wilds alone. They meditate on the gods and their clan. There is a purification of the skin ritual, and each Dalish elf must receive their vallaslin in complete silence."

"Complete silence? Isn't it painful?" he marveled at the thought.

"It is, but many of us enter into a meditative state while they are applied. If one is not able to withstand the pain in silence, then the ritual is stopped until they are deemed ready."

"Do they symbolize anything in particular?" it was impossible to hide his curiosity.

"Each vallaslin design represents one of the eight elven gods. There are different variations, but most coincide with a specific god."

"Which god does yours represent?"

"Ghilan'nain, mother of the halla. I had vision during my mediations of Ghilan'nain in her halla form. She spoke to me." Ellana looked to Cullen who was staring intensely while he listened, much to Ellana's amusement.

"What did she say?" he was as a child listening to a bedtime story.

Ellana smiled, " all she said 'lead them' and vanished. I was suddenly thrust from my meditative state. If only fourteen year old me had known what that would come to mean."

"Fourteen?" Cullen was shocked, "that seems a little young."

"Well most do not undergo their vallaslin until they are sixteen to eighteen, but there is no age requirement or limit. Also, I do remember you joined the Templars at twelve."

"True, but no vows are taken until adulthood. Anyway, why did you receive yours early?"

"My mother actually," Ellana got quiet. She hugged her knees to her chest and continued, "she was very ill. No one could tell what it was. She would eat, but was always hungry. She would sleep, but she was always tired. When I turned fourteen it was obvious she would not be with us much longer. During the purification of the skin ritual, the mother of the child entering adulthood washes their son or daughter's hands, feet, and face. It's a symbolic gesture of the mother preparing their child for life as an adult."

"You wanted your mother to be a part of your ceremony?" Cullen filled in the blanks.

"Yes, basically." Ellana stared at the grass, "the Keeper almost didn't allow it. She was concerned I was not ready for the responsibilities of adulthood. Though Keeper Dashana understood why I wanted it, and I went through the rituals without any complications."

"What happened to your mother?" he asked cautiously.

"She died," Ellana turned her attention to her long braided hair, stroking it to busy her hands. "A few weeks after my vallaslin ceremony. Now I will perform the skin purification ritual for my sister, but that may still be a few years off."

"I am truly sorry, Ellana." He moved beside her, putting his arm on her shoulders.

She relaxed, leaning her head against his neck, "it's alright. It's been nearly eight years now."

"I remember you mentioning your sister back at Skyhold," he was trying to steer the conversation away from such painful memories. "I also remember a brief mention of a father and brother?"

Ellana smiled slightly, Cullen was a good listener. It's one of the reasons why she loved him. "I did. I have a younger sister named Shiala, an older brother named Farren, and then there's my father Venryth."

"I have to admit, I'm nervous to meet them." He felt Ellana stiffen a little.

"Look, Cullen," her green eyes met his. "My clan has had limited experience with humans. Though, for the most part what interaction we did have has been positive. That being said, Lavellans have a more positive view of humanity than other clans."

"What are you saying?" Cullen shuffled nervously.

"Although I know my people will have no problem with you personally, I am unsure of how they will react to our… relationship. I am even less sure how other clans will see it. Though, I am personally most worried about my father, he has been very protective of us since my mother's passing."

Cullen was quiet, piecing together what it all meant. Meeting a girl's parents was never easy, but Ellana's clan was her family and he would have to try to appease them all. Venryth, it seemed, would be the most difficult to impress and the most important, in Ellana's mind.

Seeing the anxiety in his eyes, Ellana was afraid she had scared the commander out of wanting to go at all. "I'm sure it will be fine, Cullen. I just thought it best to let you know now it may not be a seamless meeting."

"Of course," Cullen laughed his nervous laugh, "no social interaction with me is ever seamless."

* * *

They arrived at the Arlathvhen the next evening. Most of the clans had already arrived and had arranged their aravels in a circular mass, with large open area in the center. There were hundreds of elves gathered, and more arriving every hour. It was the most elves in one place that Cullen had ever seen.

Dismounting in the outskirts of the camp, and were met with curious stares and whispers. The Herald of Andraste was not unknown to the clans. The elfish savior of Thedas, and paragon of the human gods. What was more curious was her human companion; few humans had ever attended an Arlathvhen. The stares were uncomfortable, but not intense, everyone seemed to be more curious than alarmed by their presence. Which Cullen found encouraging.

After leading their mounts into the heart of the camp, Ellana spotted someone familiar to her. Her eyes lit up, hardly containing her excitement she handed the reigns of her hart to Cullen and bounded off in the direction of an equally excited female elf. Cullen stood awkwardly with the mounts as the two embraced. He had never seen the Inquisitor so excited before.

Ellana lead the elf by the hand, back towards Cullen. As they approached he could see more clearly, she had the same white blonde hair as Ellana. Though her eyes were hazel, not green as Ellana's were. He could see other similarities in her chin and nose that were reminiscent of Ellana. This had to be Shiala. She was young, maybe sixteen, and had yet to receive her vallaslin.

"Cullen," Ellana smiled from ear to ear, "this is my sister Shiala. Shiala, this is Commander Cullen."

"Pleased to meet you," Cullen gave a small bow.

"You always did have an eye for handsome shemlens," Shiala giggled.

"Shiala!" Ellana turned a shade of red that Cullen had never seen. Apparently he wasn't the only one that got embarrassed in situations like this, and Cullen could not hide his amusement. The tables had finally been turned.

"Come on, Ellana," Shiala pulled at hers sister's arm. "Father will want to see you."

Ellana gave a helpless shrug as her sister lead her away, Cullen followed suit with the mounts. Shiala led them through the throngs of elves, her excitement blinded her to all the attention they were attracting.

"Father! Father!" Shiala called as they neared their destination, "Look who's here!"

An older elf turned in the direction of his youngest's shouts, "What is it this time, Shiala?" As the elf, who Cullen could only assume was Venryth, turned his eyes widened when he spotted Ellana.

"Father," Ellana smiled widely as she embraced him, "I've missed you."

"And I you, ma vhenan," he looked at his eldest daughter, and smiled.

Cullen stood back while Ellana spoke to her father, trying to stay out of way and put off the inevitable meeting. Shiala told him he could take their things to a nearby aravel.

As Cullen was unpacking their mounts, he felt a tug at his waist. He turned to find a small elven girl beside him.

"Hello," Cullen greeted cautiously.

The girl, who was no more than six, glanced nervously towards two other of children who had obviously put her up to this. "Are you a shemlen?" she squeeked, eyes unnaturally wide.

"I am human, yes," Cullen knelt down to her level, trying to be less imposing.

"Do you eat bad children for breakfast?" she held her breath.

"Um, no," he stifled a laugh.

"Oh," she seemed much more at ease. "Well, Treval says shems eat bad children for breakfast."

"I can assure you, I do not, nor does anyone else I know," his smile was impossible to suppress.

The girl smiled as well now. "Can I touch your hair?" she blurted.

"Well…" caught off guard, Cullen mumbled something about it not being appropriate, but that didn't stop the curious elf who pushed her hands through Cullen's locks.

"May'eli! Treval!" She called to her friends, "it's so soft! It's like nug fur!"

The others approach with the girl's apparent approval. They circled examining him. The boy, Treval, pulled at his ears as he commented on the roundness of the cartilage. May'eli took interest in his armor, tapping at his bracers and pulling at some of the straps. Cullen just sat there, unsure what to do while the children attacked him with curiosity.

"Rasallah!" A woman cried and the girl playing with Cullen's hair turned. "Leave that poor man alone!"

The children backed away, and Cullen was saved.

"Ir abelas, I am so sorry," his rescuer apologized. "They have never seen a human before."

Cullen stood, relieved to be able to escape the children's grasp. "It's quite alright," he assured the elven woman.

As the woman ushered the children away, Ellana appeared with her father.

"Making new friends I see," she smiled.

"I guess you could say that," Cullen turned red at the ears.

"Cullen," Ellana announced, "this is my father, Venryth. Father, this is Commander Cullen Rutherford of the Inquisition. Cullen bowed. Venryth stared coldly.

"Why have you brought a human with you, Ellana?" Venryth's disapproval was obvious.

"Cullen is important to me father," Ellana said firmly, her smile disappearing.

"Shemlens are not welcome at the Arlathvhen," he stated simply.

"There is no rule, and you know it," Ellana countered. "I have seen many humans at Arlathvhens in the past."

"Still, you shouldn't have brought him," he spoke as if Cullen was not there.

"I wanted you to meet him. I wanted Shiala and Farren to meet him. I wanted him to learn of our people, Father. This is important to me."

He looked her in the eyes, and it seemed as if for a moment he would relent. "Ellana, what of Henrek or Carven? They are more than suitable for you."

Ellana's eyes darkened, "Cullen is a good man, and has been by my side through the most difficult trails of my life, Father. He has saved my life several times, and has taught me what it means to truly live. So no, Henrek and Carven are not _suitable._"

"This shemlen? This man who knows nothing of our ways, of our people? He is from another world, Ellana. I will not have him take you away from us," Venryth's voice was cold.

"He is not forcing me to go anywhere. I choose where I go, Father," Ellana stood her ground.

Seeing that there would be no convincing of her daughter presently, Venryth gave Cullen one last icy glare before storming off. Ellana stared after him in angry silence.

"That went… well," Cullen said nervously.

"It could have gone worse, I suppose," Ellana sighed. "He'll come around. We should finish tending to the mounts."

They walked away, but the tension was still there. Cullen silently prayed to the Maker that he could make things work. Ellana silently prayed to her own gods that she hadn't made the wrong decision by bringing Cullen home with her. Her father was right after all, they were from two different worlds, but Ellana had become quite accomplished at building bridges.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello Lovely Readers!

Again, I apologize for being absent for so long. I promise I won't abandon you. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter where we get to meet the softer side of Commander Cullen... Huzzah! Thanks for reading.

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Chapter 3

Cullen and Ellana were eating their dinner atop a small hill overlooking the circle of the aravels. The hill itself was part of larger rock formation, which many children dared each other to climb ever higher on, much to their mothers' dismay. Dinner tonight consisted of a rabbit stew, a variety that Cullen had never had before. Though so far, Dalish food seemed more than agreeable for Cullen and he ate without complaint.

Having removed his normal armor, as it brought too much attention to him here. Cullen, instead had dressed more simply in a grey tunic, with a green sash. His dress was not unlike the uniform of Inquisition agents, though he had forgone the hood. The change thankfully brought considerably less stares from the elves. He still carried his sword, but his weapon never left his side, as to never be caught unawares.

Ellana had put aside her Inquisition scout armor as well. Favoring a practical, but elegant elven dress. It was the color of spring meadow with cap sleeves that mimicked the shape of elfroot leaves. A simple braided leather belt accented her small form. The skirt of the dress was short reaching only mid thigh, but earth colored leggings stretched down to her calves. Her feet were bare, like most of the others at the gathering. It was the first time Cullen had seen her in such a way. She truly looked Dalish, which was a fact he sometimes forgot in the craziness that was their life.

They finished their meal as the sun began to set over the far off hills in the west. To the south they could see the tree line of the Arbor Wilds, and to the north stretched the Exalted Plains spotted with streams and groves of trees. It was a beautiful sight indeed, even from their meager vantage point.

Cullen leaned up against a stump, resting his back against the rough surface. As he did so, a woman approached them calling to Ellana.

"Ellana!" the woman called to them as she approached.

"Keeper Dashana!" Ellana got up and embraced the woman as she crested the hill. The keeper returned the embrace, and Cullen got to his feet.

"And who is this?" the Keeper took notice of Cullen.

Ellana smiled and took Cullen's hand, "this is Cullen Rutherford, Commander of the Inquisition's armies. Cullen this is Keeper Dashana of clan Lavellan."

"An honor to meet you," Cullen bowed.

"Ah, your man is gentleman," the Keeper gave them a knowing smile. "It is pleasure to meet you as well Commander. I am, after all, happy to meet the man whose men saved our clan from those bandits not so long ago. Our clan owes you a great debt."

"You owe me nothing," Cullen said. "I am glad my men were able to help."

"Either way, Commander, you have our thanks." Dashana turned her attention to Ellana, "the Keepers are gathering and they need to hear from you. They will have many questions." The Keeper began to lead Ellana away.

"Should I come as well?" Cullen asked Ellana.

"No need," the Keeper replied warmly, "it will not take long."

Cullen meet Ellana's eyes, who only shrugged in response as the Keeper whisked her away.

Unsure of what to do with himself Cullen settled back against the stump. It was probably for the best, his presence would only create more questions for the Inquisitor. She would be facing the heat for leading a human army as a paragon of a human god. Still, Cullen would have liked to be there to offer his support.

Then, out of nowhere, she was there. The girl who had taken a fascination with Cullen's hair, but this time she was alone. She stared at him with big blue eyes, hands behind her back.

"Hello," she said sweetly, rocking on her heels.

"Hello," Cullen was unsure what to make of this, again.

"What's your name?"

"Cullen."

"Oh, well my name is Rashallah."

"Well, its very nice to meet you Rashallah. How old are you?"

The girl thought for a moment, "five!" She held up her hand to demonstrate her age.

Cullen smiled, but he could see that she was still hiding her other hand behind her back. "What do you have there?" he asked.

Her smile grew as she revealed a small comb made of shell. "Please! Please! Please!" she was practically jumping up and down.

Cullen sighed, but before he could respond she had jumped on the stump behind him and began brushing his hair. He stiffened, surprised by her sudden assault of his locks. He gradually relaxed as she continued to brush and hummed an unfamiliar tune. There was no escape, but Cullen didn't have much else to do anyway.

Rashallah shaped and brushed Cullen's hair for a solid thirty minutes. At one point Cullen was sure his hair had become a giant fuzzy blob on his head. When Rashallah finally decided she was done she neatly combed his hair back to its original state. Quietly she stepped down from her perch and placed the comb in Cullen's hand.

"My turn," she exclaimed settling down in front of Cullen. This girl was continually perplexing the commander, but he obliged. Rashallah pulled the tie that held her auburn hair and it tumbled town past her shoulders.

"Where is your family?" Cullen asked as he gently worked through some of the knots.

"Father is with the other Keepers and Mama is making honey rolls," she said bored.

"Do they know where you're at?"

"No, but it's okay I just have to be back before it gets dark."

"Alright," was all Cullen could think to add.

"Do you know any songs?" Rashallah was suddenly cheerful again.

Cullen had very little experience with children, and most of the songs he knew were Chantry hymns. He parted her hair as he thought of a way to get out of singing, "I do, but why don't you sing me one you know."

"Alright," she agreed excitedly and immediately began singing.

"_By the river beneath the willow tree, _

_I listen closely as spirits sing to me. _

_I close my eyes and begin to dream, _

_I listen closely as spirits sing to me."_

Cullen tied off a braid as Rashallah sang her song. Her little voice had the sweetness of childhood and it mixed well with the lilting tune of lyrics.

The sun sank lower over the horizon. Just as Cullen began to wonder when Ellana would return she appeared.

"Are we playing dress up next?" Ellana laughed as she approached. Cullen felt his ears heat up as he finished Rashallah's second braid.

"How does it look?" Rashallah asked excitedly.

"You look beautiful," Ellana assured her. Rashallah smiled wide and rushed back to the gathering.

"I didn't know you could do hair," Ellana teased.

"Well, braids aren't exactly complex," Cullen stood up, red faced. "However, I did learn a thing or two growing up with my sisters."

Ellana smiled at him, "Who knew the great Commander of the Inquisition brought joy to the hearts of children by braiding hair."

Somehow Cullen's cheeks burned more.

"Well when we have children, you can be in charge of the hair braiding."

"When we have children…" Cullen muttered.

"Do you not want them?" Ellana asked caught off guard. She had always assumed he did.

"Of course," he answered sincerely. "We've just never spoken about it before."

Ellana could see Cullen's self doubt surface. He was always easy to read, which is what made him so terrible at wicked grace, and the game.

She felt she had to say something, "Cullen, it's okay if you don't…"

"No, I do. I really do want kids," he assured her. "I've just… I've never felt like I'd be a good father," he sighed.

Wrapping her arms around his torso, Ellana smiled. "You would be a wonderful father."

"You would be a wonderful mother," Cullen held her as they watched the last of the sun sink beneath the horizon. He wanted this moment to last forever, but he knew they would soon return to the camp, and he would again be called upon to attempt socialization. Though, in this moment it was just the two of them.

"What did the Keepers want?" Cullen asked softly as they headed back towards the camp.

Ellana thought for a moment, "only wanted news of what has happened in the last year and half. Many of the clans are rather out of touch with most of the world."

"So you gave them one of my lectures then?" Cullen smiled.

"Oh, it was much more tedious than that," her sarcasm evident. "They were mostly interested in what I saw in the Temple of Mythal, as well as the political situation with Briala behind the Orlisian throne."

"I suppose that makes sense."

"They seemed most interested in Morrigan and her…" Ellana trailed off as she spotted a distant figure to the south. Another smaller figure came into view beside the other, and the pair was now approaching them. Though it was hard to distinguish any details in the dying light. Their identities were impossible to mistake.

"Speaking of Morrigan," Ellana began, "here she comes now."


	4. Chapter 4

Hello dear readers!

I have returned once again with a new chapter. I hope it's not as poorly written as I think it is. Anyway, just a note for you guys I'm not sure how accurate this is all going to turn out. I've already noticed a few errors in my writing. Mostly just some small things. I get a lot of my info from the wiki page, but it's hard to keep track of it all. That being said, I'm doing my best.

Also random thought I had recently. I was replaying the original Mass Effect not too long ago. On Eden Prime if you rescue the scientists in the shack after you meet up with Ashley, the woman greets you with a "Thank the Maker!" Though it's super far fetched, I thought it would be pretty funny if there were some Andrastians in the ME universe. Maybe a Dragon Age planet? Anyway, I just enjoy the little jokes and tie ins that are in the games (though some may be unintentional). I also enjoyed Blackwall's Highlander reference. I'm on my third complete play through of Inquisition and I'm still finding new stuff! Crazy!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 4

The arrival of Morrigan and her son caused less of stir than the Inquisitor and her Commander had. Though the Keepers were made aware of her presence, Morrigan had become relatively quiet in comparison to the outspoken mage Ellana had come to know at Skyhold. Morrigan held millennia's worth of elven knowledge within her, but refused to speak of any of anything related to it. She had come, Morrigan explained, only to observe the Dalish and their traditions. As to draw comparisons to what she had learned of the once great elven empire.

Her recently acquired withdrawn demeanor only seemed to unsettle Cullen, who had mistrusted her from the beginning. Ellana suspected he still held mistrust for many mages in general, a slight prejudice he may never fully be rid of.

The day after Morrigan's arrival the Halla Festival kicked off. It was the first of five days of festivities and rituals. Each day was named after a creation of Ghilan'nain. The last of the five days, the day of the Halla, was reserved for most of the rituals. Today was the day of the Fennec, and main event was the archery contest. The great hunters of all the clans gathered to test their skill, including Ellana and her elder brother Farren, who represented the Lavellan clan.

Cullen had been introduced to Farren and his wife, Lalainen, the previous evening. Though their introduction had gone more smoothly than with Ellana's father, Farren had been gruff and standoffish. It seemed Farren was a man of few words and his wife fewer, who said nothing to Cullen. Ellana explained to Cullen that Lalainen came from a more reclusive clan and distrusted humans more than the average Dalish. It seemed Cullen was fighting an uphill battle with Ellana's family, and it was only get steeper.

Ellana and her brother took their places with the other archers, as Cullen found a spot to watch from the sidelines. Though Ellana preferred her twin daggers in battle, she was just as deadly with her bow. Cullen had witnessed her skills first hand on many occasions.

Across the field Cullen could see Morrigan and her son standing on the sidelines with a small group of Keepers. Morrigan met his gaze, which gave Cullen an uneasy feeling.

Most everyone gave Cullen a wide breadth, and Cullen again was reminded he wasn't exactly welcome here. It was strange to be in the minority for once. He found an empty spot on the sidelines, and waited to watch his love compete. The lack of company did not seem to bother the former Templar, but he was relieved when Shiala joined him. She was one of the few who didn't seem to harbor any prejudice for him, or anyone for that matter.

"Good morning, Commander Cullen," Shiala beamed.

"Good morning, Shiala," Cullen responded in kind. "You don't have to call me Commander."

"But Commander just sounds so dashing! Ellana always referred to you as 'the Commander' in her letters," Shiala made little air quotations for effect.

Cullen reddened, "she wrote to you about me?"

"Well she wrote about a lot of things in her letters. Though, you were a common theme. I knew from the start she fancied you," she gave a devilish grin. The first wave of archers took up their positions as Shiala continued. "I didn't tell father though, Ellana wrote to him separately shortly before you arrived. To… prepare him I guess."

The archers fired at their targets, all hit their marks, but the few who hit the center of their targets advanced to another round.

"Why does he disapprove of us being together?" Cullen asked, it was a question Ellana had avoided for some unknown reason.

Shiala thought for a moment, "well, it could be a couple different reasons. There's always the general reason of children."

"What does it have to do with children?" Cullen didn't know why they were being brought up so often.

"Any child born of an elf and human tend to be, in all physical terms, human," Shiala explained seriously. "That being said, conceiving a child can be difficult for these couples, and in some cases impossible. The Dalish are not getting any stronger, and many see human and elf relationships as a weakness."

"Well, I suppose I can understand that," Cullen conceded. "I just don't see how the decision for Ellana and I to have children is anyone's business."

"You have to understand Commander, Dalish children are precious to our people. Since the loss of the immortality of the ancient elves, the role of children and community has become invaluable to us.

"A child has a family, parents, brothers, and sisters, but they also have a clan. They are a part of The People. A child's clan is their family, and all take a role in raising them.

"It can also be difficult for one born between these cultures. Many feel a strong affiliation for Dalish, but their humanity can sometimes prevent them from fully belonging to either world."

Cullen thought for a while. He looked around, closely at those around him. He did see a few humans in elven garb, scattered amongst the Dalish. They walked comfortably and freely, but it seemed as if they didn't truly belong. It started to dawn on him what is truly meant for Ellana to be with him. Being with Cullen could mean giving up her family, and her clan.

It was just one big mess after another. Life had been simple enough back in Skyhold. Well, simple with a clear enemy and the possibility of not seeing tomorrow. Living in the moment was easy for love, but this navigation of two different worlds was daunting.

"As you know," Shiala added, "humans and elves haven't always gotten along either, so that probably has a lot to do with it."

"Has your clan had negative experiences with humans?"

"Yes, and no. We've had the normal issues with bandits, and some distrustful villagers, but nothing we haven't been able to handle. The Lavellans tend to keep to themselves." Shiala perked up, "look Ellana and Farren are about to start!"

Ellana took her position and readied her bow, Cullen watched as she took a deep breath to steady herself, focusing on her target. She had tied the top portion of her blond hair up to keep it out of her eyes. The rest flowed freely past her shoulders, waving gently in the breeze.

Her emerald eyes burned with ferocity Cullen had never witnessed in any other woman. She possessed a determination that allowed her to lead an army to not only stop Corypheus, but also save all of Thedus. It was this strength that Cullen admired most in her, and her beauty had stopped him in his tracks the days they met in he ruins of the Temple of Sacred Ashes.

He would remember that moment for the rest of his life. They had just dispatched a horde of demons. For a moment he had worried he and his men would be overrun, but she arrived in time to turn the tide. At first she was merely more than a blur, a flash of daggers that took down the horrors around them. Her slight form moved faster than anyone he had ever seen.

When the dust settled, he finally saw her. Her bright green eyes locked with his, and for a moment time stood still. Somehow, in the wake of the battle, she made him stop. He couldn't stop himself from noticing how beautiful she was. Then reality set in and it was back to business.

The order was given to fire, and Ellana's arrow flew straight and true hitting the circular target directly in the center. She smiled at her handiwork, and caught Cullen watching and waved. Cullen returned the wave, as well as her smile. Seeing her so over joyed hitting a target, was comforting to Cullen. She had been through so much in the past year, it was good to see her enjoying something. Even if she had hit such targets a thousand times before.

"You know a great deal about the Dalish," Cullen returned his attention back to Shiala and their previous conversation.

"Well, I am Dalish after all," Shiala smiled.

"You know what I mean," Cullen stammered.

"Ellana's right, you are easy to tease," there was no stopping this teen. "Though, it is my responsibility as a future Keeper to learn all I can about our people," she beamed proudly.

They continued to chat as the rounds progressed. Ellana and Farren were among the last five competitors, out of the original fifty that had entered. Farren and two others were eliminated during the final flying target round. It was down to Ellana and a young hunter boy, probably around fifteen, who had not yet received his vallaslin. It was a surprise to have one so young get this far in the competition. Yet, there he was and they stood side by side in the final round.

Five targets would be thrown for each of them. The one who hit the most out of the five would win. The young hunter nervously stood ready for his turn. He hit each of the first four targets with exact precision. On the final shot he faltered slightly in his nervousness and only hit the edge of the final target, granting him a partial hit.

Ellana took her place and readied herself. An arrow easily met each target, until the final shot. Before it was thrown Ellana meet Cullen's eyes, a small smile on her face. She lifted her bow, looked up, and missed the target by an inch. Still smiling Ellana turned to the boy and congratulated him. The boy's clan rushed the field to congratulate him and Ellana headed towards Cullen and her sister.

Stepping over the roped boundary, Cullen pulled Ellana into his arms. "You did wonderful my dear. Though, I am fairly confident you could have made that final shot."

"I could have, but I won the last archery contest I entered," she laughed. "I decided he deserved the recognition more." She had taken a page from Blackwall's book, having learned he had won the Grand Tourney thanks to a Chevalier who assisted him. The Dalish had nothing to rival the Grand Tourney, but Ellana knew a Arlathvhen archery contest was one of the few outlets for wide spread recognition. The gods knew she didn't need any more recognition or attention.

"Well, I still think you're a winner!" Shiala teased.

"Why thank you Shiala," Ellana hugged her younger sister.

Silently another figure joined them, "fine show Inquisitor," Morrigan seemed to materialize from the crowd.

Cullen drew closer to the women in protective manner.

"Oh relax commander," Morrigan sighed, "I only wish to compliment the Inquisitor's performance."

He didn't buy it, Cullen knew the mage was keeping something from them.

"I also came to extend an invitation," Morrigan admitted. "Meet with me this evening, I will be waiting for you both by the river at dusk."

"What will we be doing?" Ellana asked, a bit confused.

"Come, and all will be explained. Though come prepared," Morrigan stated simply.

"Prepared for what?" Cullen demanded. Morrigan refused to share any more information, and she wandered off back into the throng. Cullen looked to Ellana, "I really don't like that woman."

"Lady Morrigan?" Shiala asked. "I think she's fascinating. She knows so much about our people."

Ellana was still unsure whether or not she really trusted Morrigan, "Shaila, stay away from her." Ellana's eyes were cold and serious, catching Cullen off guard. He had never seen her like that before, something was wrong. Admittedly, he was unsure what had caused this sudden shift in Ellana. Whatever it was, it was serious.

Shiala's smile rapidly disappeared, when she met Ellana's eyes. The elder sister clutched her bow tighter, and left Shiala to her thoughts.


End file.
